Lucia Aurion Adventures: Grimoire of the Rift
by yorushihe
Summary: Lucia Aurion fell, discovered, fought, survived, explored, learned, loved, lost and lived to write her tale inside the book that started it all. OC-Self Insert in FFTA2:GotR...
1. Chapter 1

**Lucia Aurion Adventures: Grimoire of the Rift.**

An epic sized story about a girl and her quest to overcome her fears and grow up.

Alerts: Mild Violence, a little cussing, mentions of bullying.

…

**Races …. 09**

**Weapons…35**

**Armors …..79**

**Skills …101**

**?...152**

'_**One is fitted to fill these barren pages…**_

…_**know you his name?'**_

…**Lucia…Aurion…**

**?.**

Lucia clutched the leather bound book tightly to her chest as she sat cross legged on top of her bed… Her room itself was messy with clothes carelessly strewn across the carpeted floor, but she wasn't exactly a neat person to begin with.

_What to do? _Her deep mahogany bangs covering slightly moist blue eyes… she was feeling awfully oppressed and lost, not to mention the sliver of fear that slithered like a cold snake down her back.

_I don't want to go back to school..._ She thought to herself, releasing the death grip she had on the book and resting it on top of her bed.

_The girls will be mean to me again this year, I just know it! _Her hands found a golden clasp that held the leather book closed, and unlocked it with the easy of someone who's been doing it for years. The inside page was adorned with pictures of flowers done with an artistic hand and looking almost like a photograph, and under the drawing, the name Lucia Aurion in a flowing and graceful script.

_Mother… this book you left me… what were you thinking?_ Lucia turned the first page, thinking back on earlier that day when her father presented his daughter the little brown book with an uncertain air around him, as if afraid of her reaction.

Her wet eyes widened at what was written… _Mother… are you nagging me even now?_

"_Lucia, are you paying attention to your classes?"_

"_My little light, are you giving your poor father trouble?"_

"_Are you doing your work and chores? Is your father making you?"_

Lucia hesitated for a second, looking down at her mother's written words, but ended up closing the leather bound book and locking it shut once again. _I'm not ready to face this yet, what was father thinking handing me this __**now**__?_ Pain floored from the inside part of her chest, flashing and flaming as if alive and reaching for a hold on her heart.

_I'm not going to cry!_

There were suspicious glinting traces of water threatening to drip down her eyes.

_That's it, enough!_

With strength that she didn't know she had, Lucia picked the book and dropped it on top of her dresser, risking a peek at her reflex showed on her vanity mirror – Her eyes were tired and dull, the blue darkened to a stormy shade.

She looked terrible, no wonder she felt so tired. _Better go to bed if I want to be alert enough to dodge the girls tomorrow_

Oh yes, tomorrow was her first day at school, and for all the reasons she had to look forward to it, Lucia was actually dreading every second the clock ticked closer to the time she would have to go… The thought of skipping class entirely crossed her mind, but was squashed without much longer consideration. _I won't run away like some coward!_ _I will face them if I have to, and I won't cry again this time_.

It was no news that as a newcomer in this tightly knit community she was bound to be the odd one out.

Arriving last year in the middle of the school term was bad enough, being the only one with a darker hair color instantly divided her from the other girls, plus the fact that while the other girls had their clothes pressed and neat, her father wasn't much of a house-keeper and she was still struggling with the house chores.

This year, her school clothes were neatly arranged in her dresser. Pressed and clean. Her hair was in a controlled braid and wouldn't present any problems come morning… she was ready… she was.

_Time to sleep… Good night mother… watch over me._

…

"RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNGGGGGGGGGG"

"Class dismissed!" If the ringing bell wasn't enough to rouse Lucia from the nice little nap her body fell into – she did end up spending half the night chewing her fingernails in a worried and insomniac heap under the covers last night – the teacher's voice done the job. "Have a nice day everyone! And remember to bring in your homework tomorrow!" Ms. Hana was a nice elderly woman who loved to teach, and Lucia was vaguely fond of her.

_She is going to call on me, I just know it._ Lucia stood up from the desk and arranged her school bag, shoving without concern her pencils and notebooks inside and hastily making to the exit. She was about to cross the door when to her not surprise, Ms. Hana's voice rang again, as shrill as the bells.

She was a nice woman, looking to be beyond her fifties, with a sturdy and thick body. Her har wasn't as thick as it must have been, but it still showed signs of the wavy golden beautiful form it was someday…

She was a nice woman, but her voice was screechy and loud…

Maybe that was why she's the ideal teacher.

"Not so fast Ms. Aurion, I have a special task for you" The teacher's face lit up with an amused smile "You know? Arriving late this morning, then sleeping during class…" There were some mean snickers from a few students that were loitering about in the classroom chatting. _I will most likely be the target of all the gossip tomorrow, great._ Lucia suppressed the feeling of hopelessness that blossomed in her tight chest.

_If Mother were still here…_ Unbidden, this almost made the girl cry, but she did promise herself she wouldn't spill any more tears, didn't she?

"What would you have me do, Ms. Hana?" The elderly teacher tossed the dark haired girl another smile, this one was much more open and it took Lucia's guard away.

She liked Ms. Hana, even if it was just a brush of something that was _not_ the dislike that she felt for the people in this backward village her father dragged her to.

_I'm not about to be walked over._ Her mind sharpened, the smile she answered Ms. Hana's with was almost painful to make.

"Nothing bad" The elderly teacher stood up from her desk and pointed at the pile of papers sitting in front of them. "These are the students' summer homework, I'd like you to take these back to the library for me" The pile of papers looked awfully heavy, Lucia noted, and the teacher seemed to be uncomfortable with her back.

Ms. Hana offered another smile. _I can do this, it is not that bad… she could have had me scrubbing floors like Mr. Botton did with Austin from class B. _And as if reading her thoughts, there was a collective murmur of discontent coming from the students still in the classroom.

_They were waiting like vultures for my carcass to hit the ground!_ It infuriated Lucia, but she went toward Ms. Hana's table and grabbed the towering pile of papers.

It was heavier than it looked, and far more frightening than paper had a right to be. _What if anyone comes to pull my hair and I fall down with this on top of me? I will be bruised and then I will have to look for the scattered paper._

"You know where the library is, right Ms. Aurion?" Ms. Hana's voice was half cautious and half amused. "I will meet you there in a few minutes to dismiss you for the day" With these words, the teacher hunched back on her chair and went back to writing something Lucia couldn't see.

"Yes, Ma'am" The dark haired teen widened her fingers to get a better grip on the papers and then made her way to the library, forsaking her school bag in favor of balancing the precariously positioned pile.

_To the library…_

The library was a separate building right next to the school.

It was old and the smell of the old tomes permeated the air making it thick and delicious to breath. There was a faint scent of wood coming from the walls and flooring, but what made the library truly nice was the large fireplace built in the other side of the room. The Librarian's desk was located next to the fireplace, and it looked as if Ms. Turlip, the librarian, wasn't there yet.

Lucia managed to unlock the door and enter the library without problems, feeling unsure as to where she was supposed to leave the books. There were a pair of reading desks and a few tables scattered here and there, but the place was massively taken by huge book shelves, each filled with all the types of books ever imagined.

It was one of the places Lucia often ran to the last year when she wanted to hide from the other students._I will just leave these on top of one of the desks, then I will wait for Ms. Hana by the fireplace with a book, yes, that is a plan._

The pile of papers was carefully lowered on top of one of the desks, wobbling dangerously as it went. Lucia spent a few moments trying to stabilize it to avoid undue accidents of the papery kind, and managed to halve the pile in two after kicking her brain started.

_I can be so dull…_ she scowled, looking around the cozy library and breathing out in relief that the fireplace was burning chasing the chill that still permeated the air away.

_Now to find something interesting._ Not that there was a lack of interesting reading material… but because of that, it was hard to settle on just one. Dark blue eyes traveled between title after title, but nothing really caught her eyes until she found herself drawn to a thick gold and brown tome nestled between World Traveling Atlas and an Encyclopedia about mountain culture.

_**Grimoire of The Rift**_

The cover said. _Is this fictional? Or maybe it is a spell book? It would be nice if I can find a spell to…_

She cut that thought before it could have been concluded, shaking her head even as her hand traveled to the _Grimoire_ innocently sitting on its shelve. _It feels warm…_ She thought, this corner of the library was a little away from the fire to be this warm to her touch, but she ignored it in favor of being fascinated with the old tome's cover.

Lucia traced her fingers on the cover, lightly feeling the ridges created by old leather. _This looks old_. She stopped touching the book for a moment to consider that perhaps it was off bounds to the students… _But it was just sitting there… and Ms. Hana won't be her for a while, I have time to page through this and if it is as interesting as it seems, I will ask Ms. Hana if I can read it home._

Grasping onto the heavy tome, Lucia made her way to a nice chair sitting in front of the fireplace and settled the tome on top of her lap. It was truly a heavy thing, she thought it certainly looked like. _Now lets see…_ She opened the book and started to read.

_Hmm… very nice pictures, but what is the meaning of all this?_

_Swords, staves, spears… is this a woman with rabbit ears?_

_The World of Ivarice – What is Ivarice now?... _

She flipped a few more pages, hoping that the book actually contained an epic adventure story as the detailed description of strange races and magic indicated. _Is it a guide to this Ivarice place?_ _Where is it? It can't be real…_ But as she got to the middle of the thick collection of pages, they got strangely blank…

Lucia continued to flip the pages until she got to the other cover, a dubious look in her eyes. _This isn't funny… all it contains are descriptions and pictures of weird places and people… but… what is this?_ She found some scrimptions on the back cover, small letterings that were hard to spot due to the ink fading with time.

'_**One is fitted to fill these barren pages…**_

…_**know you his name?'**_

And underneath that, a small blank line.

…**.**

_It seems mother isn't the only one bent on making me wright in a diary_.

The thought was depressingly amusing as her mind went back to the small leather bound book still locked in her room. A heirloom left by her mother just before _the accident. _Lucia turned her attention back to the tome.

_Should I write in this? Hell, why not? I got nothing else to do anyway… and… how nice would it be like to live in this Ivarice place? With magic and battles, monsters and heroes… beats living in this stupid village anytime. I wonder if the book makes gender distinctions…_

It seemed silly. But this urge to write her name in the book blossomed and was almost uncontrollable. She wasn't the type to depredate public property, but the letters were so small! No one would see that a random person wrote their name, this tome was pretty dusty looking when she found it, so it wasn't that popular with the other students or the teachers.

…_**know you his name?'**_

_I do! But it is a she, not a he._

… _**Lucia Aurion…**_

End of Chapter the first.

Preview:

_Something in this makes me weary.  
I have seen this before too! What was the name again? Nu-mou!_ _Yeah, I'm almost certain that it is called Nu-mou… but from where have I known this?  
I am in Ivalice! The World inside the book!  
__This is… awkward, but amazing.  
Please accept my Oath! I swear I will follow through it, I will join the clan that offered me protection and there will be no more confusion…  
… Or death…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Lucia Aurion Adventures: Grimoire of the Rift.**

An epic sized story about a girl and her quest to overcome her fears and grow up.

Alerts: Mild Violence, a little cussing, mentions of bullying and confusion.

…

**Races …. 09**

**Weapons…35**

**Armors …..79**

**Skills …101**

**?...152**

'_**One is fitted to fill these barren pages…**_

…_**know you his name?'**_

…**Lucia…Aurion…**

**Chapter the Second: Ivalice.**

_I do! But it is a she, not a he._

… _**Lucia Aurion…**_

…**.**

…

**..**

**.**

**Very Well, Welcome to Ivalice, Lucia Aurion**

That's when her world went blank.

**.**

**..**

…

…**.**

_I am falling… It is not very confortable to know that any minute now I will be but a smear on the ground… if there is ever going to be a ground…_

_So much light!_

_Somebody, help me! Please, I'm lost!_

Then, as sudden as it started, the light show ended along with the lack of gravity beneath her heels.

Lucia stumbled and fell on the ground. _Wait… last time I checked the library's floor wasn't made of grass… and isn't it a little too sunny for being indoors?_ Dark blue eyes widened as Lucia turned from the fresh grass beneath her hands to the bright cheerfully blue sky above.

Trees… grass and flower bushes… a beautiful meadow in the middle of some unrecognizable woods. _Am I dreaming? Perhaps I fell asleep while waiting for Ms. Hana… yeah, that must be it…_

The smell was fresh and reminded her of warm summer days when the humid air teased her nose and usually made her feverish. It made this scene much more real and a bit more scary.

A hand that probably was hers pinched her belly with bruising intensity.

_I am not freaking out… I don't usually have dreams like this one, so I'm not sure what to do._ She's read about night terrors after her mother's… departure, and if this was one, and the habitual pinching didn't work, then how was she supposed to wake up? _Am I still in the library?_

_No…_

_Something in this makes me weary._

The sound of crunching leaves reached her ears and Lucia snapped to her feet in a bout of speed born out of her fear. Dark blue met Electric blue half way, eliciting a squeak out of a closed throat.

The owner of these Electric blue was a huge man – _Creature_ – with bulging muscles as large as she was, he was at least two heads taller than she and carried this serene but commanding aura around him. Straight blond hair cascaded down wide shoulders and complimented the mustache under his long straight nose.

His dark tanned skin stretched in two strange spikes under both sides of his jaw, and growing out of his forehead was a pair of short horns. _He is exotically attractive _She confessed to herself in the privacy of her thoughts, and wondered secretly what was he. _He looks familiar… I've seen the likes of him somewhere before._

But her surprise wasn't fated to end with the entrance of the devilish looking man, behind him came two other figures that made all the caution signs that weren't already blaring, come to live inside Lucia.

A hunched over figure of what appeared to be an old man, with a hairy face and long regal robes.

A somewhat battered but curious looking pointy hat sat on top of his head hiding most of his features, but Lucia could make out a pair of long canine ears that fell down his front pierced by two earrings. The robes were beautifully done with great stich work in an outer blue cloak and an inner dress robe of a washed out white color with lots of buttons. The figure was also carrying a twisted looking twig – or was it a walking stick? – and was inclining softly on it as he also contemplated her form.

_I have seen this before too! What was the name again? Nu-mou!_ _Yeah, I'm almost certain that it is called Nu-mou… but from where have I known this?_

The second figure was a lot more surprising but no less impressive.

A tall willowy woman with long supple arms and neck. Her hair was a shining shade of silver that fell in a straight moonlight colored waterfall down her back. Her skin was a dark grey-brown color that couldn't possibly be a variety of a normal human skin tone, and the long pointy bunny like ears that twitched occasionally on top of those silvery tresses only affirmed that the woman wasn't human. Her form was covered by a pale beige tunic with matching pants decorated by colorful strands of stitches.

She also wore a white and red robe tied together at her waist by a red sash. On her hands, she twirled absently a curly ended wooden staff.

_I also know what she is! I know I've seen people with those ears before! Muggles… no, the Viera People!_ _A Nu-mou and a Viera along with that horned man, where am I? _

Her mind blanked for a fraction of a second before a the memory of _fallingfallingfalling!_ Came back to her in a rush of confusion and dizziness.

These memories also brought back the image of a certain book she found in the library.

_**The Grimoire of The Rift**_

_I've known what these people are because I've just read about them in a book! This means…_

_I am in Ivalice! _

_The World inside the book!_

'_**One is fitted to fill these barren pages…**_

…_**know you his (her) name?'**_

…_**Lucia Aurion…**_

Her body almost vibrated with the amount of emotions that were whirling in a turbulent vortex inside. A mix between fear and anxiety and a heavy dose of panic, plus a tint of curiosity and a bigger tint of purpose… She's been feeling so lost before, locked in a life she didn't care for and wanting for something to change and make it better…

Was this her chance?

Ever since her mother's… death… she's been a shell of her old self.

_There is no more coming back! I've signed the book with my name, I've been taken to Ivalice due to the fact that I am the One who will write the story… only it is not so much a story anymore._

_Am I ready for this? _

_Do I want this? _

_Do I regret signing my name?_

_No, no, and no._

Her body and mind just hurt. How did one cope with having been transported to a supposedly fictional world? The three other people that recently entered the scene have yet to utter a word, too busy studying her to care, or maybe…

_They're not looking at me anymore. What are they looking at?_

An Angry Roar answered her mental question with nervous wrecking willingness. "Gyahhhhh!" Lucia screamed along the beast that roared in the first place and stumble back away from the sound, only to fall on her side when her trembling knees couldn't keep her weight up.

_Is that a giant Chicken? Oh Gods…_

The girl tossed a desperate look at the apparent leader of the trio, the man shook his head but whistled to catch the ginormous beast's attention.

"Oi oi, what have we here?" His voice rang through the meadow, making the fine hairs on the back of Lucia's head stand on end. The huge bird-like creature lost interest in the small prey and turned its eyes on the big man, who sighed half-heartedly. "Why is it always the vicious ones that pay the worst? 250 gil is barely enough to pay for our time sweeping up the feathers when we're done." He spoke again, turning slightly to his two friends. The Blue robed Nu-mou nodded absently, playing with the ends of his ears.

The Viera simply huffed, adjusting the clasp on her gloves. "I think it is looking for a… ah… snack?" She spoke airily, receiving a cross but playful look from the tall man.

As if understanding her words, the giant bird cawed and growled, taking a tumbling step forward and forcing Lucia to leap back a few feet. She was trembling horribly in fright. _I don't want to be eaten! _She desperately rose to her feet and inched closer to the trio of strangers that looked friendly enough.

_Better than face a starving Chicken! _

The man spared Lucia's cowering figure a glance, not hiding the softening of his stare when she caught him looking, then he turned back to the monster and that hard edge he seemed to exude sparked again.

"What, you hungry? Sorry, but I've got higher aspirations than becoming chicken feed. Hop to it then!" _I completely and utterly agree with you! _He made a tiny gesture with his hands that was somewhat familiar to Lucia until she understood that he was asking her to come closer.

"Calm down hume-ling, we will protect you with everything we have if you let us" The Viera's words were soothing, and Lucia felt inclined to believe her. _She seems nice, even if she's not human… what did she call me? Hume-ling? Hume?_

Aggravated by the angry caws that came from the monstrous bird, Lucia finally came close enough to the trio, offering a shaking smile to the female Viera.

"Hey kid, you can join our clan…" The bird let out another angry roar that practically shook the trees around it "I hardly need to spell out the alternative" _How is __**not**__ joining their clan making any difference if that bird kills us?_ Lucia hesitated, staring deeply into those electric blue eyes.

Lucia drew a shaky breath and shook her head to clear it better.

Long dark brown hair still bound by a braid danced along her movements, she didn't care for her hair at the moment, though her hands rose to push stray bangs that escaped the braid behind her ears.

"Why? Why should I join?" She breathed hesitatingly. _Don't want to aggravate my only source of salvation now, but I can't compromise myself to something I am not aware about! Will they leave me for dead if I don't join?_ She better start running if that was the case… the monster was a huge freaking bird! If she kept under the roots she'd be safe as long as she didn't meet any other monsters…

_Not likely!_

This time, it was the Nu-mou who answered, his voice was papery and raspy but sounded very kind. "You may be injured during battle as collateral damage or if Klesta here takes decides to target you" Lucia nodded, it was possible _There is something more, something I'm not seeing… I know what he's spoken of already, I am ready to bolt into the woods now… _"You could die under any other circumstances, but if you join a clan with an Advocate Judge, your life is safe guarded" The others nodded, keeping half an eye on the demonic chicken – Klesta? – and half an eye on her.

Klesta was strangely keeping still, measuring them with contempt in its beady eyes.

_Huh? Protected from death? Advocate Judge?_

"There is no time to explain the Law System to her! Make your decisions quick, kid, I assure you Klesta won't offer too! Look, it's getting ready to make a move!" The tall blond human-looking man snapped, grinding his teeth worriedly. Lucia felt bad immediately at his harsh words and her fear spiked. _I will die, diedieide! _But then, he did have expressive eyes, and Lucia caught the worry underlining the anger. _He is worried for me! He said Klesta is ready to make a move._

"H-how?" She whispered brokenly, still too taken by fear to speak properly. _I can't whimper and moan forever! Let's make a stand!_ Lucia shook her head again and cleaned her throat, realizing that she must have spoken too low for any of them to hear, "How do I do it?" She spoke more clearly, receiving a smile from the white wearing Viera…

_Those ears! She must have heard me!_ For a brief moment, bafflement took over Lucia, but she snapped her attention back to the strange man waiting for an answer.

"Just swear your Oath to the Judge, say you will join the clan!" He said quickly, drawing a golden detailed card from the insides of his vest and holding it out…

There was a flash of light and when Lucia regained her vision, the world seemed dimmer, as if the light and warmth have been sucked out of the meadow.

Lucia's eyes were immediately caught by the imposing figure that materialized in front of them.

_Is that a Judge? _She gawked shamelessly, completely in awe… She wasn't a large fan of Knights in general, the ones she knew tended to be awful, so she learned to dislike any armored being… but this Judge had no comparison!

Silver armor that gleamed under the shaded sun full of decals and silver detailing… It was beautiful and frightening, a show of power and strength that knocked the breath out of Lucia as her eyes drank on the heavy looking details of the armor.

The helmet was adorned with two long silver horns and a single one grew on top of it in a spear like fashion. A red/purple cape held by sharp shoulder claps fluttered behind him by an invisible wind.

_Eyes… the helm fully encompasses his face, how is he breathing and seeing? _But where the eyes should have been, there were twin slits of light.

Lucia stared at the eye-less mask, blank sleets of silvery metal covering the mysterious face. This Judge was bigger than even the blond horned man who was especially impressive himself, and the power radiating out of him created a halo of light that warmed her skin even from a distance.

_Now I have no trouble believing that this Judge can keep me alive!_ Her thoughts turned to slightly delirious by the time she was done contemplating.

Most of all Lucia felt protected at that moment, safe.

She risked a glance back at Klesta and did a double take when she noticed that Klesta was frozen, along with the other clan members, suspended in time while she talked to the Judge.

_This is… awkward, but amazing. _

"What is he talking about" She asked with a tremble in her voice. "This Oath I am about to swear, what would it imply for me? What difference does it make?" For a second, all was still. The World still bathed in a negative light shimmered as the Judge's aura intensified for a second before settling again in that controlled chaos.

Lucia shivered at the change of intensity, and trailed her eyes toward the blond man and his two kind friends for a second.

"The Oath" The Judge began with a low raspy voice, power leaking from his words attracting Lucia's attention back to him. "Will allow you conjecture under my protection along the clan I am bound to. Swear to uphold the Laws as they are written, swear to respect and honor the Laws and Swear to abide by the Rules Created by the Royal Court for your own protection, and the protection of the realm. You shall be Judged by your Oath and if deem acceptable, your entrance in the Registered Clan shall be completed." He spoke slowly, no cadence in his voice.

The mystical wind picked up his reddish silky cape and made it flutter around his armored legs and shoulders... _Gods he is huge! _Was the stray thought that jumbled up in Lucia's mind before she could stop it.

_This Oath, how am I to make it anyway?_

_Maybe I can wing it?_

_It isn't so bad, after all_ Lucia reflected _What is the difference from the laws of citizenship back in the other world? Here I have to uphold the laws anyway…but I am to be protected and not having to pay taxes is a bonus_. The Nu-mou said that as long as she was under the protection of a Judge, she wouldn't lose her life... and just looking at all the seemingly endless power pouring out of the great figure floating calmly in front of her made it easily believable.

As if sensing her hesitancy, the Judge's voice came again, startling Lucia out of her reverie "You can create your own Oath as long as you have in mind the words I've spoken" _Keep in my mind the duties and obligations, it won't be hard._

"Then I, Lucia Aurion, sane of mind and body do hereby swear this Oath" The Judge nodded slowly, then with a grace that completely masked the weight of that armor, he lifted a sword as large as she was tall and swung it down toward her shaking form.

_Holy Cow! Am I going to die?!_ _Was my Oath rejected?_

Lucia closed her eyes and prayed to the God she grew up believing in to at least save her from the pain she was bound to feel when that sword cleaved her in half.

_What?_

A moment passed and no pain was felt.

_What happened? _She seemed to be asking this quite a lot today!

Lucia opened one eye and peeked fearfully at the thick tall great-sword that stopped only an inch away from her forehead. _Wah?! _Sweat broke from her skin when she noticed that and while she tried to calm her racing heart, a white silvery mist escaped the sword and the Judge, encompassing her from head to toe.

_It feels warm! but I don't feel right_. it was as if the weight of a thousand eyes befell upon her then, staring unblinkingly down at her and Judging her past, present and future. It wasn't painful or unpleasant, just... annoyingly intrusive.

Exposed... _bare_... there was not an inch of her that wasn't being read like an open newspaper lying on the ground. Raw emotions crept up her spine as the thought about what the Judge might find deep inside her being made itself her most large present fear. _Please accept my Oath! I swear I will follow through it, I will join the clan that offered me protection and there will be no more confusion…_

… _Or death…_

"There is no need to fear little one so far from home, a Hero is made by his journey, and yours has barely started. Be prepared for what lays ahead, for you shall face your deepest fears and must remain strong to overcome them" That low rough voice carrying those ominous words brought a strange sense of safety. "Your Oath has been accepted" Echoed around them.

Her emotions shifted and changed, from the muted fear to a growing seed of courage.

_Is this the power of a Judge?_ Lucia wondered with awe.

That sense of disconnection faded to the back of her mind and the feeling of being watched and weighted by hundreds of eyes became comforting when the notion that those eyes weren't there simply to Judge her, but to Protect her, came.

Then she remembered the odd tome she found in the Library when a warm light started to envelop her body.

…_**know you his (her!) name?'**_

_I signed my own name, for a moment I believed myself to be a hero, brave and powerful and capable of anything, exploring the magical world of Ivalice. _

For only heroes had stories dedicated to them…

Was she up to it? Nausea hit her briefly, her stomach folding painfully when she completely realized what were the expectations placed upon her by her own hands.

If this was still a dream, it was turning into a terrible nightmare. _No… Not a Nightmare._

_An adventure._

End of Chapter the second.

Preview:

_I'm starting to feel self-conscious.  
Oh Gods!  
Even if they can't die, that beak might do some very serious damage! There must be something I can do.  
They're just trying to protect and shield me.  
Wait… that isn't good.  
This looks kind of mild though…  
Huh? Where did the sun go?_

**AN:** On a side note, I need help coming up with characters name... if you have any interesting idea for names or even suggest a character, I'm open to it. (If it's a character, name/species/job/appearance/personality trait) thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

**Lucia Aurion Adventures: Grimoire of the Rift.**

An epic sized story about a girl and her quest to overcome her fears and grow up.

Alerts: Violence, a little cussing.

**Chapter the third: Courage**

**Continuing**.

…

Time shifted then came back to its normalcy along with a bright orb of light that materialized Lucia back into the normal dimension. The long dark haired girl stumbled gracelessly and almost fell to the ground if it wasn't for the hand that held onto her shoulders that very moment. _I must stop doing that…_ Lucia thought with amused exasperation born of her state of mind at the moment.

"Alright, I have pledged to the Judge and my Oath has been accepted, now what?" Lucia declared to the trio of strange people that surrounded her, sending her befuddled looks. _I'm starting to feel self-conscious. _So she looked down to herself and almost tripped again. "Whoa!"

For some reason, her uniform – formally a long dull brown skirt and dress button up blouse – was gone, and she was wearing an outfit that would probably fit within this World. _Thank you Judge!_ A half grin made itself known on her face as the female Viera inclined her head.

Lucia now was wearing a pale yellow shirt with cute red ribbons falling down her arms, there was another ribbon laced around her neck, holding up a little bell. To her embarrassment, her midriff was exposed, though nothing scandalous and serious, her belly button was still visible. A couple of leather belts crossed around her waist, holding a long piece of silky clothe that covered her bottom and the back of her legs, though she also wore some shorts that also had the handing ribbons.

Hooked to her belts was a bright yellow pouch, and tied to this pouch, a small Glass bell. Both her hands were covered by fingerless leather gloves, and she thought the white lacy socks that reached up her knees were quite cute. On her feet, ankle high boots with cute buckles and the customary pair of ribbons.

Feeling a weight on her head, she felt around her hair in curious caution. Sitting cheerfully on top of her hair was a white and pale yellow bonnet with a large red decorative pompom in the middle. Her dark brown hair was still in braids, but the single one it was before seemingly multiplied and now there were two braids, one over each shoulder.

_It is cute, if not a little revealing but I can live with it!_ The bonnet went back to her head, she didn't want to lose it. _I wonder what this Bell is here for?_

The strangers were quite content in watching their newest charge in silence, if not a little stunned for her change of outfits – by the way the Nu-mou still watched Lucia pensively.

Though the peace was only momentary, for Klesta launched a loud sound that defied all other roars it gave previously. _It is not good! Is Klesta ready to make a move? Why haven't they attacked the overgrown chicken yet? … Never mind, now I see what Klesta was waiting for!_

Two little clones of Klesta suddenly crawled out of the overgrowth, twitching and cawing and snapping their sharp looking beaks at the smallest of sounds. Klesta let out a noise that got the attention of its little minions.

_Oh Gods!_ Lucia scrambled back toward the trio, receiving an amused look from the tall, blonde man. "Ah… He's brought the little ones along to feed…" He spoke loudly, Taunting the beast to Lucia's horror. _Don't do this please!_ Lucia trembled when she noticed Klesta's beady eyes looking straight in her direction. "Stand back lil' one, we'll handle this lot." The man seemed regretful now and spoke kindly to Lucia.

She didn't need to be asked twice!

"Thank you" The brown haired girl smiled tightly. Fear still coursing through her being. Klesta was a towering and massive beast that looked to be made of muscles, its beak was larger than any sword she's seen before. _Aside from the Judge' sword… nothing is bigger than that._ And it had sharp talons that screamed blood thirst.

The man nodded understandingly and with a hand gesture had his other companions in the front lines along with him "Ready Yourselves!" He alerted, pulling from his back a large double-handed sword of unknown origin. The metal had a yellow twinge under the light and didn't glint like most metals. _Scary!_ Lucia stepped back as she saw the blonde' sword, his arms straining to hold it up. _It must pack quite the power!_

Then something hit her.

_I'm cowering back like some coward! _Lucia's eyes widened when she finally saw her position. She was blinded by her fear and apprehension and she was hiding behind these people while they risked their health to save hers. _Even if they can't die, that beak might do some very serious damage! There must be something I can do._

"Um… Hey Mister! What can I do to help?" Her voice reached the horned man and from her position, Lucia could see the corners of his mouth twitching up.

"Stand back as I've told you to" His voice was stern and direct, and sent a wave of hurt and indignation inside Lucia. She might be a ball of terrified feelings right now, but she could be quite ingenious when it was needed!

"I can help! Maybe… I can distract them!" Her right hand found the Glass Bell attached to her hip pouch and she unhooked it, holding it defiantly in front of her. _My arms are tingling! It is from touching this bell, why is it?_ "I can't get killed right? So it isn't as if I am in perilous danger" _Just dangerously close to being maimed! _

"Oh hume-ling, you cannot die, no, but you still can feel pain" The exotically beautiful female spoke calmly to Lucia's frenzied words. Her words were soothing and nerve wrecking at the same time. _She's working down the confidence I had earlier, she doesn't want me to get hurt, none of them do._

"Yes lil' one, you might not die from a tumble against Klesta, but the pain may make you wish you _were_ dead" The tall blond commented, keeping track of Klesta and its minions' movements with the corner of his eyes. "And I didn't mean to make you fight when I invited you to join us…"

"But I want to help! It's not fair that you do all the work, I'm a part of your clan now …I want to be useful too" Lucia's words were out of her mouth before she could think them over, but in the end, she didn't regret them. _I am still terrified out of my wits… yes, that must be why I'm offering to risk my skin fighting against this monster… out of my wits._

_Wanting to be useful…_

_They're just trying to protect and shield me._

_I can do this! _Lucia's face took an expression of utter resolution. Her fears were ebbing away slowly and being replaced by a calm confidence that she rarely felt.

Her dark blue eyes met another pair of blue eyes.

The strange man nodded once. "Fine lil' one, do whatever you like as long as you do exactly as I say, understand?" _Isn't what he said a contradiction? What if what I want to do conflicts with what he tells me to do?_ The amused thought entertained Lucia out of her nervousness. She nodded emphatically to show she understood the words. "Then you may fight… I am Cid, that is Nikori, this is Joo'k, and you are?" _Nikori is the Viera woman, Juk? No… Jook... Jouk… Eh! Is the Nu-mou. What is Cid though? He doesn't look human._

_It is not time to wonder about these things! Let's worry about the giant feather ball ready to tear us apart limb from limb._

_He asked me a question…_

"My name is Lucia" Lucia eyes each and every member of the clan in the eyes as she introduced herself, gauging their reception of her. To her relief, everyone' smiles reached their eyes.

There was pause during which Lucia collected her battered nerves.

"Very well, Lucia. We begin!" With that Cid ran toward Klesta. He wasn't very fast but his movements were strong and purposeful.

Nikori took a step back and fell in line with Lucia, the clearing wasn't that big so they still had Cid and Klesta right in front of them. _Why did she fall back? Is she taking cover? _Lucia casted a curious gaze upon Nikori readying figure, the female smiled brightly and responded to the unspoken question "I am a White Mage, hume-ling, it is not wise for me to stand in the enemies' way since my brand of magic is more useful on the side lines"

Joo'k took that moment to hop on top of a small rock slightly behind some trees, but from his position he could see Klesta struggling against Cid. He heard Nikori's words and waved his stick… _rod, whatever._ "Watch this, pup, it will amaze you" The tip of his wand lighted with a red glow and sparked.

The only warning Lucia had was the smoke.

_Woahh!_

It was as if Klesta combusted from the inside out. Fire ignited the air under the monster's body and exploded outwards, burning the soft feathers of Klesta's underbelly. The beast howled in pain and Cid had to pair a vicious beak that would have taken off his head had he been careless.

"Nice one Joo'k!" The blonde swung to the side and managed to slash his sword downwards Klesta' sides.

_I want to help, but I only have this bell… maybe if I threw it?_ Lucia was becoming overwhelmed by the battle since she was virtually defenseless.

Her fingers were still tingling from holding onto the bell. _I think I will follow with my initial plan and distract it with the bell. _Lucia steeled her resolve and breathed in and out slowly, bringing her arms up and…

Widely played the bell.

The note played was soothing and sweet, oddly reminiscent of a sheep's cry. _As planned, Klesta has its attention on me!_ But it wasn't only that.

Her arms became numb for a second, making panic rise within Lucia. _Hey! This is nice! _She relaxed a lot when her arms went back to normal, but a shimmering layer of light covered her body from head to toe, making Lucia feel safer and more confident.

"That is a nice bell" Nikori said amusedly. "You didn't know it had that kind of power, did you?" When Lucia shook her head, the Viera sighed. "I will explain it quickly since we are still battling, so pay attention. Certain items of a special make contain traces of magic that allows people with various inclinations to learn and utilize said magic – see this staff? It is particularly useful to White Mages since it teaches us how to cast a curing spell, but if Joo'k were to use it, he wouldn't be able to, since he is a Black Mage and specializes in mastering the primary Elemental Spells, like the Fire you just saw… Now your bell is known as a Glass Bell and makes it possible to Animists, that's your inclination, to utilize a self-buffering skill to protect them during battle. It is a very useful magic to have in these kind of situations"

Lucia nodded, thinking it over.

_The tingling I felt must have been this inherent magic. From what Nikori said, only people with the right inclination can use these special items to their fullest… who would have thought this pretty bell was magical!_ The bell was still producing a soft chiming sound that echoed slightly around the two females. _She also said I am an Animist… whatever that is._

"Thank you Nikori, I think I understand" With a shake of her head and a fond little smile, Nikori went back to paying full attention to the fight. Cid got lucky apparently, for there were a collection of feathers on the grassy ground around his feet.

_Since I have this bell's protection, maybe I can risk getting closer._

Lucia relaxed her tense shoulders and gripped the bell tightly with both hands. Her feet made little sound as she tried to stalk toward Klesta without attracting the attention of any of the bird-like monsters.

"Watch out for the little ones!" Joo'k added seeing Lucia walk closer to the middle of the meadow where Klesta was still locked against Cid. The air shifted again, a heavy wave of cold air fell upon Klesta in the form of a massive ice spear that solidified above it. A good look at Joo'k would reveal his pleased smile when Klesta cawed in pain and flipped its wings…

_Wait… that isn't good._

"Take shelter!" Cid cried in panic, but it seemingly was too late. The bird took flight and was hovering threateningly over the meadow. The two little versions of it were cawing in delight at the show of their parent.

Then, in the time it took to blink, Klesta was falling violently on top of Joo'k. His hunched form completely disappearing underneath the creature's heavy muscled body. _Oh no! Joo'k!_ There was a muffled '_OOMPH!'_ and Klesta cawed victoriously, wiggling its body vindictively.

_I have to do something! _Lucia took a look at her bell and that confidence suddenly returned. Joo'k was in danger! So what that he wouldn't die, he was still feeling pain!

_Klesta will pay!_

"GET AWAY FROM HIM YOU OVERGORWN COOP DWELER!" Lucia screamed like a berserker, charging against the bird that was about twenty times her size but not caring in the slightest.

She wasn't caring much at the moment, all the overwhelming fear she felt moments before now became undisguised rage against some wanna-be chicken. _I'm going to be regretting this soon, I know it._

Her bell wielded like a heavy sword ready and poised to slack and hack – if it wasn't for the fact that it was a _bell_, and not a sword.

Even so, Klesta saw the puny little human female charging against it with a speed that challenged even the most fast Wyverns and it got startled, flying off and going back to the spot it battled Cid, who was standing there open mouthed at the small addition to his clan.

"Heh!" The blonde breathed out, glancing at Klesta. "She's mad at you now" His response from the bird was a clawed foot almost ripping his eyes out.

Meanwhile, Lucia finally reached Joo'k position and knelt beside his crumpled form. _There wasn't much outwardly damage, none that I can see beneath all these robes and his fur anyway… but there must have been some damage since he's hunched down worse. _

"Ouch… I'm feeling that tomorrow morning" The Nu-mou Black-Mage winced in pain, accepting Lucia's offer to help him stand. He was strangely heavy for a creature that seemed so short, but the dark haired girl managed to help him find his footing. "A little more and the Judge would have gotten me" _I would be wincing too! _

_But it looks like he's going to be alright. Thank Gods._

_This looks kind of mild though… _

Lucia blinked… underneath the palm she used to hold onto Joo'k, light started to pour. It took a single moment for the light to cover his form from the tip of his pointy hat to the end of his tail. _What?_

The poor girl was confused until Joo'k, with a swing of his stick – rod – wand, got back to his feet dusting his pristine robes all the while. "Thank you my dear Nikori, that made me feel better" Lucia looked over to the White-Mage and smiled in wonder… _That was a healing spell! Awesome!_

"You should be more careful you old fool" The Viera said with fond exasperation, drawing wheezing laughs from the other mage. "Nothing like our friend Cid over there…" The triple pair of eyes shifted accordingly to where Cid dueled the bird. "He's got everything under control" _I doubt it, those chicks are getting awfully excited and will come after us soon. _

"Um…Mr. Joo'k… I think it's best if you concentrate your magic on those chicks… if they get closer to Mr. Cid he will be in trouble" Lucia bit her lips, looking pointedly to said pair of chicks. Nikori nodded, eyes narrowed in thought.

"Do as the hume-ling says, I agree with her. Those little monsters should be taken care of before they get too close. I will cover Cid for you" Saying that, the Viera White-Mage took an opened position, raising her staff above her head in a readied form. "Stay back as well hume-ling, your little bell will do nothing to Klesta but irritate it"

_I am inclined to agree… that bird keeps eyeing me with contempt! _Lucia mentally shuddered when Klesta beady eyes found her position more than once in the past minute or so. _It is busy holding off Cid though… I think it holds a grudge because I startled it earlier._

"Fire!" Joo'k broke Julia out of her thoughts by charging his…wand up and enthusiastically casting a fire spell that exploded between the mini-Klestas, causing the little menaces to scatter in a frightened jump as their feathers caught on fire chirping all the while.

They heard Klesta's indignation filled howl and Cid's yell came too late. "Duck!"

_Huh? Where did the sun go?_

The her world turned black.

End of Chapter the Third.

_Preview_

_Who is it now? I know the voice, but can't recognize it._  
_Is this his version of an explanation?  
Doctor's orders.  
Mother, why did you have to go?  
This will feel divine! Heh…?  
All I have to do is explore._

…

**AN:** On a side note, I need help coming up with characters name... if you have any interesting idea for names or even suggest a character, I'm open to it. (If it's a character, name/species/job/appearance/personality trait) thank you!


	4. Chapter 4

**Lucia Aurion Adventures: Grimoire of the Rift.**

An epic sized story about a girl and her quest to overcome her fears and grow up.

Alerts: Violence, a little cussing, mentions of alcoholic drinking.

**Chapter the fourth: Clan pt. 1**

**Continuing**.

…

_Did anyone see the bull that rammed me?_

A groan left the dark haired girl. Her whole body ached from the tips of her fingers to the nails of her toes. _I had the strangest dream ever… Did something happen yesterday? Maybe the girls decided to play another prank and I hit my head… or something._

"Gut Gut! Shee'his awvake" A voice she didn't recognize spoke just shy of her left. _Ugh… He has a funny accent._

"How is she? That was one nasty bump" That voice was familiar now. The grave cadence and the worry laced in it made Lucia trust the owner of this voice. _I've heard this voice before, it is definitely not my father's, he wouldn't visit if I fell sick…_

"It' vall healet" Funny accent voice answered cheerfully. "Can dhu open vor'eys?" _Um… I am interpreting that as 'can you open your eyes' and go from there. _So Lucia, with a little bit of effort, made her grit heavy eyes try to open at least a slit. It was hard. Harder than she thought would be.

_But then, I've never hit my head so heard I passed out_.

Her head ached now, but to her victorious spirit, she could make out now blurry shapes against the light. One was massively tall with vague darker color of skin and gold on top of his head, the other was a shorter silvery blotch.

"We were worried about you kid" The voice she recognized said slowly and carefully, and indeed Lucia could detect the worry he spoke of. It warmed her heart a little bit to know that there were people who still cared for her, even if they were strangers. _I am getting a little too desperate. But it is nice to know someone other than Ms. Hana cares._

_Who is it now? I know the voice, but can't recognize it._

"Shee'vas lucky zthe concussion waz'nott serious" The silvery blotch added suddenly, but the blonde topped blotch silenced him with a wave of a hand. _The contours are taking shape now, soon I will be able to see…_

_What? Concussion?_

"There is no need to scare her with unnecessary details Doc, She is going to be fine now, isn't she?"

"Hm… Yesyes, Ichdid zthe best Ichold, shee'his going to be vwell" Lucia managed to finally recognize Cid as the blonde blob, and offered him a shaky smile. Her smile became a little more sincere when she felt his hand brush and mess her hair.

"That's good to know doc. Why don't I tell you what happened Lucia?" Cid offered, seeing as Lucia was a bit more coherent. She heard a low snorting sound, most likely the Doctor wondering the same thing and wisely kept quiet, letting Cid speak. "You were trampled on by Klesta"

…

_Is this his version of an explanation? _Lucia stared at him incredulously, barely aware that her mouth was gaping in an un-lady like way. _I kind of guessed that already!_

"Zthat olz Crusha'thricze iz bringin troubl again?" The Doctor, now that Lucia's vision was returning, was clearly a Nu-mou – though his outfit was a little different from Joo'k and he wore an outer robe similar to Nikori… _Maybe he is a White Mage as well! _Lucia concluded, watching the canine like creature bustle and fuss over her and Cid with his weird accent. "Go back tzo zleep, littlzone, Ich'vill luk after dhu"

_Doctor's orders._

_At least this time I will be asleep and not passed out._

…

It felt like no time at all have passed when Lucia managed to wake up again, though this time she was surprised to find that she was actually alone in the room, only now noticing how dingy and run down it was in that old-rustic-noveau-chic style, with a clearly sculpted wooden chair waiting beside her bed and wood paneling covering the walls.

The smell of old wood and traces of beer made her nose twinkle, but it was something she could handle. _It looks like an old village Inn_. She stayed in such a place before whilst traveling with her Father, moving from one bustling town to a forgotten village in the edges of the kingdom, the trip took two days and one night which they spent in a well-placed Inn by the side of the road.

_It feels nostalgic somehow, and sad… it was right after mother's death too… the smell of beer that always clung to her clothes whenever she went to work brings memories of when she got home and I'd run to her arms when I was little._

_Mother, why did you have to go?_

_At least these memories don't feel so far away now._

… _I can't brood in here forever! Cid must be worried about me! And Nikori and Joo'k too!_

So Lucia took a deep breath and preparing mentally for any unfortunate pain she might still feel, she forced her body into a sitting position, clutching the itchy covers of the bed closer to her chest in a defensive way.

Dark blue eyes roamed the room more freely now, and Lucia finally noticed that someone was thoughtful enough to leave a water basin in a corner, with a hopefully clean towel and a bar of soup on a table she hadn't seen before because of her laying position. Her clothes, now cleaned, sat near the bathing tools and a bright yellow pouch caught her attention too.

_All my things are here… I guess I can use a bath right now_. Only, it wasn't much of a bath and more of a wash basin, but beggars can't be choosers so Lucia made do…

Crawling out of bed only in her underclothes proved to be a very difficult task when the cold air kept brushing against her bare skin and eliciting shivers from her pores. Sucking up on courage, the school girl got the handle of walking again and made her way to the water, glad to see that yes, the towel was clean and the soap smelled like apple wine, old and musky and just soft to the nose.

_This will feel divine! _

_It feels like ages since I've been clean… the sweat dried on my skin is just gross._

After making the most she could out of the water basin, even managing to soap her hair to remove the old oily sheen she felt when her braids came undone, Lucia dressed in her strange new outfit and deemed herself presentable.

Her head still ached slightly, a low throbbing that reacted faintly to the flickers of the candle.

_It's only a migraine… I guess it's normal after spending some time unconscious._

The human teenager was just about to cross the room and explore the outside corridor of the Inn when a knock came on the same door. Slow careful poundings on the delicately carved old wooden door.

Sitting herself on the bed primly, Lucia cleared her throat and threw her still drying hair to rest limply over a shoulder, making a mental note to braid it when it dried enough. "Come in!" Her voice came out hoarse, drawing a cringe out of the brunette.

_What I wouldn't give for a glass of cool water._

"Oh dear hume-ling, you are awake at last!" Nikori's voice came from the other side of the wood before a tentative push made the door open an inch or two to allow a half worried grey eye to peek into the room. The eye found Lucia instantly and the door opened all the way, showing Nikori's tall willowy figure – she was wearing a pale cream colored dress, balloon pants with drawing strings at the knees and confortable looking leather boots, forgoing her White Mage's red and white cloak. "Come downstairs, we have to introduce you to the others, and I think Cid want a few words, he seems to be feeling guilty about your ordeal so assure him you are alright"

_Heh…?_

Nikori's ears were long and pointed, and they twitched funnily when Lucia scrambled to her feet and tried not to trip distractively as she made her way to the older female. Lucia mused for a little while about Cid, wondering how on Earth – well, _Ivalice _was he feeling _guilty_ if his words earlier had been so unfeeling.

_I guess he must be on the gruff side, but secretly is a softy inside._

_That must be it._

Then something Nikori said clicked in Lucia's brain and the girl stopped short. "Others?" Her voice was embarrassingly squeaky. _There are others in the clan? How silly, of course there are! I must be really naïve to think there would have been only Cid, Nikori and Joo'k in the clan, there has to be more people. _"I get to meet them?"

Lucia finally reached the door, hesitantly stepping over the threshold and going to the corridor where Nikori took a step back.

"Of course! They are all anxious to meet you, Joo'k has been telling the guys all about you" Then the long eared Viera paused, understanding the younger girl's hesitation. "Do not worry yourself over the matter hume-ling, our clan might be small but we are all good people" Then she smiled softly and happily. "I am actually very glad that Cid managed to convince you to join us, another female to keep me company at last. I grow tired of the males' squabbles all the time, the only one I can have remotely interesting conversations with is Joo'k"

_So they already know about me anyway… it would be rude not to formally introduce myself to the rest of the clan… I know I will be practically useless since I know next to nothing about fighting, but I will help however I can._

_Eh… they never really told me this clan's name, all they say is 'the clan this' 'the clan that'._

The two females crossed the corridors, Lucia absently admiring the rich details such an old place had. The worn floor was a light wood covered with stains and age wears complimenting the wooden walls and dark framed windows, with their tattered blue curtains that floated lazily over a weak breeze.

The smell of old alcohol reached even here, and animated sounds of laughter and conversations could be heard faintly from the floor below.

Nikori guided Lucia to a small staircase positioned at the end of the corridor, boards worn down and fragile looking, but sturdy enough that they didn't even creak when the tall, silver haired Viera started to descend looking over her shoulder to make sure Lucia was following behind accordingly.

Noticing Lucia's interested eyes following the lines of décor of the upper story of the Inn, Nikori took the opportunity to teach a little. "This is a really old Inn, the only one in Wood Village actually. It was built by sea mercantile traders that passed through this peninsula and needed a base in this continent before reaching Goug. Today Wood Village is the only settlement in these parts though ages ago this used to be a fairy playground, there are still multiple ruins scattered through the land" She hesitated for a moment, as if debating if she should continue or not. Lucia, enjoying the impromptu history lesson and finding everything she learned about this new World fascinating, nodded her head encouragingly.

_Even if I don't know about half what she is talking about, I can see that she likes to teach. She reminds me a little of Ms. Hana._

"Fairy playground?" The human asked intrigued. She's read about Ivalice in the Grimoire, but the descriptions barely scrapped the top of what must be a full and rich history filled to the brim with interesting details. Plus, Fairies! What girl never dreamed about meeting a Fairy before?

"Yes, some say that they still gather somewhere in a secret and secluded spot forgotten by time" The Viera smiled slightly "Only those who know how to reach there may find it because to do so you have to go through Muskmallow Field" she said intriguingly, baiting Lucia.

"What's so special about… eh… Muskmallow Field?" They were halfway down the stairs by now, taking slow deliberate steps to enjoy their conversation.

Nikori' smile became a grin, she was amused. "Because the Fey that live there like to cause Mischief and often play pranks on the travelers! It is the shortest route to Wood Village from Camoa's Road, but many travelers prefer to go through Targ Wood – the forest where we found you and fought Klesta, than facing the mischievous Fairies. In their mildest they can make you lost for days, even weeks, and once I heard about a man who actually disappeared for a year… none could find him until he got home a year later confused about all the fuss over him, to him, not even a single day was gone by."

Lucia mulled over the Viera's words, shivering a little at the prospect of losing an entire year of her life without knowing. "This seems like a lively place" She finally allowed, making Nikori roll her eyes halfheartedly out of fond exasperation. _There is so much to learn!_

_This is great! If I forget about the battling and being trampled on by a giant bird, then this adventure doesn't look so dreary. I might actually enjoy it._

_New places, new people, new history and new legends…_

_All I have to do is explore._

_But… what about my other World? I can't forget about it so easily, I should find a way to return someday… maybe… _

They reached the saloon with Nikori still spewing odd facts about Targ Wood to Lucia's amusement, the silver haired Viera was very fond of knowledge and wasn't shy about sharing it, though for some reason that brought a thoughtful frown on the elfin delicate face of the long eared female.

_We are at the bar already!_

"Hey Nikky!" A loud male's voice broke Lucia and Nikori's conversation with a startle out of both females. Nikori's dark grey eyes melted into silver as irritation poured into her gaze when she found the one who spoke. He ignored her and waved an animated arm above the heads of the odd gaggle of people sitting at his table. "Come now Nikky, introduce us to the new gal!" Lucia could literally hear the grin in his voice.

Feeling shy all of sudden, Lucia hesitated for a moment. _He looks human! _Was the absent thought that crossed her mind and convinced her to move forward to the table belonging to the mismatched group of people.

The boy/man had to be a few years older than Lucia, at least in his mid-twenties in appearance, with long and shaggy black hair, half of which was locked in a braid hanging over his shoulder. From what Lucia could see, he wore a loose long brown tunic with darker brown breeches tucked into lightly heeled leather boots. His face was warm and tanned though.

_Is that Cid's head?_ Indeed, back of someone's blond head was visible through the bustle of the Inn, coming closer, the width of a broad shoulder accompanied by a pair of horns on top of the blonde hair was what convinced Lucia to join them ultimately.

"Hello… I'm Lucia Aurion… nice to meet you"

She trusted Cid implicitly.

…

TBC…

_Preview_

_I knew it would come to this eventually. Nikori didn't say anything, but even she must suspect my lack of knowledge…  
Should I tell? Should I lie?  
The Grimoire! Where is it? Did it follow me here?  
She spoke my name… she must really be feeling guilty.  
I hope the rest of my days here are as much fun…_

…

**AN:** On a side note, I need help coming up with characters name... if you have any interesting idea for names or even suggest a character, I'm open to it. (If it's a character, name/species/job/appearance/personality trait) thank you!


	5. Chapter 5

**Lucia Aurion Adventures: Grimoire of the Rift.**

An epic sized story about a girl and her quest to overcome her fears and grow up.

Alerts: Violence, a little cussing, mentions of alcoholic drinking.

**Chapter the fourth: Clan pt. 2**

**Continuing**.

…

_**Is that Cid's head?**__ Indeed, back of someone's blond head was visible through the bustle of the Inn, coming closer, the width of a broad shoulder accompanied by a pair of horns on top of the blonde hair was what convinced Lucia to join them ultimately. _

"_Hello… I'm Lucia Aurion… nice to meet you"_

_She trusted Cid implicitly. _

…

"Lucia!" Joo'k was among them, waving cheerfully at her and almost tipping a mug filled with water sitting nearby. But what really called for Lucia's attention was a small pixy like creature with long foxy ears and a fluffy pompom sprouting from its head. "Ahah! Don't be shy pup, sit down by me and my friend Hoist" The Nu-mou pulled out and offered a chair between him and Hoist, the pixy creature.

_I know! I've seen a pompom like that before… It was something about stealing… no, mugging… no… Moggles! _

"Hello, nice to meet you Kupo" The small creature with cream colored fur smiled brightly, he was dressed in a deep green jumpsuit with a red utility belt locked around his body with lots of pockets and small bags. Around his neck was tied a worn out scarf full of little colored golden stitches that formed odd looking symbols, though old, it was obviously well loved. "I'm Hoist the Moggle, Kupo" He introduced himself making a show of fake pompousness gnawing a smile out of Lucia, though he seemed like the type that didn't say much.

After shaking the tiny hand offered to her by Hoist, her hand was seized enthusiastically by a very human male's one. "And I'm Pyrrh, It is refreshing to have another pretty thing to look at!" He winked suggestively at a frowning Nikori standing just beside their table. Her glare just turned frostier. "Ehh, Nikky is in a bad mood thinking I'd replace her in my heart, but though you are a beauty worthy of poetics, Lucy, my sun only shines when Nikky smiles" Pyrrh had to duck quickly out of the way to avoid the oncoming fist.

_Nikori looks so flustered! Pyrrh will be fun to hang out with, I think. _"I think the sun might have affected your head, instead" Said Viera snapped, beside Lucia, Joo'k let out a harty chuckle prompting Hoist and Cid to chuckle as well.

Lucia smiled shyly, feeling warm well up in her chest. The ambience was that of an old venue with the soft noise of random conversations and laughter drifting through the bar area. Hoist and Joo'k were funnily enough trading talk on hair products – to Cid's amusement. Pyrrh was now groveling at Nikori's shapely heeled feet to her great embarrassment and to the further amusement of the others.

Then, the warmth turned into a giant block of ice. _I knew it would come to this eventually. Nikori didn't say anything, but even she must suspect my lack of knowledge…_

"Not wanting to pry into your personal business, but help us understand what you were doing in the middle of Targ Wood with the threat of that Crushatrice so openly spoken of?" Cid spoke, moving the flow of their conversation back to Lucia, who was content to just witness their familiar banter. His electric blue eyes narrowed dangerously making Lucia gulp, thinking the worst. "You weren't trying to play heroics, were you? If you were I'd have to say that was a very bad decision" _A breath of relieved breath just left my lungs on fire… Cid… that was a kind way of asking if I was stupid enough to try and take Klesta by myself! _

_I almost became pancake…_

Lucia caught her breath in time to stop the nervous hiccup that wanted to escape. Then she stopped to wonder. _Is it really wise to lie? Will they even believe me if I tell them the truth? It might come out sooner or later and its better if they find out from me now… I know my luck, and I know it never lasts._

"Well… I'm not that brave - _Or stupid –_ to take on Klesta by myself…" The brown haired girl mumbled snappishly under her breath. Cid's eyebrow rose inquisitively along with Nikori who obviously heard the mumble. "It is actually a very long and very boring story" She said out loud, trying to dodge having to tell them her story and still thinking over the pros and cons of lying and hiding the fact that she was from another World.

Joo'k exchanged a look with the Viera White Mage, but he spoke what was in everyone's mind. "Come on pup, out with it… we promise that if the reason was silly we will not laugh at you for it…" He said kindly, trying to converge that everyone does stupid things once and a while and it was nothing to be ashamed of. _It is when it could possibly cost someone's – mine – life._

_Should I tell?_

_Should I lie?_

_Ehh… What would mother say if she ever caught me lying? She'd berate me and say that good people don't lie; lies grow with time and can blacken our hearts without us ever meaning to let it happen. One lie brings dozens more, and if I am to start my life her with this clan, I should show them that I trust them as they trusted me in the first place._

_They trusted me enough to invite me in._

_A lost and confused girl scared out of her mind._

_And I still don't know the name of the clan!_

"I guess I can tell you, but you may not believe either way…" Lucia shifted uncomfortably on her seat, aware of five pair of eyes watching her patiently. "I'm not from this World… No! Let me explain! I was waiting for my teacher in the school's library where I decided to read a book… this book described an amazing World called Ivalice. But it was incomplete, whole pages blank from half the book to the last page…On the back cover was a question - _**'One is fitted to fill these barren page…know you his name?'**_ I was feeling down that day, and was wondering how nice it would be if I was a true hero, with a story dedicated just for me like the one in the book, so I signed my name and the next minute I was falling… then I was there in that forest and you know what happens next"

Cid was the one who broke the silence with a little disbelieving cough. "So you wrote your name in the book, fell and was suddenly in the middle of our fight?" Though he asked it bluntly, it wasn't unkind. Nikori shoved his shoulder for it though.

"I believe her… poor hume-ling knows not even the basics! Things that even a young of her kind should know"

"She does not appear to be thick." Joo'k agreed with a decisive nod. "I also believe her, I was there along with Cid and Nikori, and it did appear as if she fell from nowhere… remember that flash of light that attracted our attention? Must have attracted Klesta as well, and it was all Lucia's doing" He concluded almost jovially. Hoist lifted a cup of warm milk in agreement and took a long sip.

Cid seemed still stuck on the Transporting thought Worlds subject. "You came here, to Ivalice, from somewhere _not_ Ivalice through that book of yours?" The eyebrow was still up. Pyrrh snickered discretely behind his hand, receiving another slap courtesy of Nikori.

Lucia nodded hesitantly, instantly suspicious… one did not survive months of bullying if they don't learn to pick up a little body language. "Yes, that seems to be the summary of what happened" _Now that I spoke of it out loud, it does seem kind of impossible… but Joo'k believes me, as do Nikori and Hoist, and I think Pyrrh wouldn't go against Nikori. Waitamoment… what if he's going to kick me out of the clan now? I have nowhere else to go! _"Um… If you want me to leave your clan, I understand… I know next to nothing about this world and I would only drag you down."

The reactions were immediate. Cid looked affronted and angry, though his eyes were soft. Joo'k had this alarmed tilt to his canine head and Nikori shot one of her poisonous glares Cid's way.

"Don't think that way! I took you in our clan to help you in a time of need, and we are not about to abandon you" The tall, broad shouldered blonde spoke harshly, but with no malice in his voice. _He means it! _Lucia hung her head to hide the brightening of her eyes and cheeks. The others nodded and spoke of their agreements, warming Lucia even more. "I just wanted to know where that book of yours is now" Cid explained a moment later, making more than one head turn Lucia's way.

_The Grimoire! Where is it? Did it follow me here? _

Lucia shook her head. "I don't know… I never seen it while we were at the forest" _Nikori looks awfully smug! She knows something._

And Lucia' suspicions about the silver haired Viera proved correct when the nimble female smiled guiltily and said. "Oh dear! It must have slipped my mind, but I found a book inside Lucia's bag and got curious about it" She admitted sheepishly. "It didn't look like a diary, so I thought she wouldn't mind too terribly if I borrowed it for a while. It looked very interesting though I haven't had the time to read it, I'm sorry I took your things without your knowing Lucia"

_I understand her desire to learn more, but it still irritates me that she went thought my things… granted, not even I know what's in that bag aside from the Glass Bell._

_She spoke my name… she must really be feeling guilty._ In the time she has met Nikori, the Viera female only ever called Lucia by hume-ling, so it brought Lucia short on how to feel.

In the mean while it took Lucia to process this, Nikori was looking more and more crest-fallen, though she kept silent. "I don't know about going through my things like that… but I am glad that you told me about it" Lucia concluded diplomatically, receiving encouraging smiles from Joo'k and Hoist. Pyrrh just looked cautious, but it was Cid who smiled the brightest.

"Yes, I am also glad… Nikori, you should give the book back to Lucia, she's the one who has to write the story after all" His voice was a mix of teasing playfulness and genuine seriousness. _He sees that I was brought here for a reason, and that reason is tied to the book._

_He knows more than he is saying, but now it's not the time to ask for answers… I don't want to go home yet._

Lucia cleared her throat awkwardly. "Since you're letting me stay, I can help around whenever I can… I know I'm a horrible fighter, but I'm willing to learn and I wouldn't mind seeing more of what Ivalice has to offer" Pyrrh ruffled her hair.

"Of course you will help, everyone have to pull their weight around!" The black haired man winked shamelessly. Looking closer, Lucia noticed he was quite handsome himself if not bordering on beautiful with his faintly delicate facial structure. He also had a nice smile. _And is obviously aware of it if his flirty nature is anything to go by!_

"We will all help; all of us had to start someplace, didn't we? Maybe if you start small and build up your skills gradually, instead of trying to tackle Klesta head on in your first fight!" Cid added huffing her hair, then in a more serious note, he turned to Nikori. "Why don't you explain to our newbie about the Judge and the Laws?" _Huh?_

_Oh yes… I was curious about that… _ The imposing figure of the Judge still imprinted in her mind… somewhere in her memory, she was half aware of a second meeting with that Judge when she became Pancake a la Klesta.

Cid ignored Nikori's peeved eyes and searched through the insides of his pockets, taking out a familiar looking card.

Nikori breathed out from her mouth a bored sounding sigh, but her eyes were full of mirth.

She took the gold detailed card from Cid's un-protesting hands with more force than necessary to his great amusement and held it to Lucia's eye level. "This card comes with an Advocated Judge, see the blank part of it right here? Every time we engage in battle, the Judge that protects our clan is summoned to help us and make certain that the laws are being followed to avoid unnecessary deaths or damage. Other clans we occasionally clash against may have a Judge as well, but often it is not the case with criminals or monsters, so you have to take care not to take a life" The Viera paused to see if Lucia was following, the girl nodded thoughtfully, face clouding over when she wondered about the '_so you have to take care not to take a life' _part.

"What do you mean 'take a life' I thought the Judge was there to avoid death!" All stares suddenly shifted to Lucia and she wished she'd only spoken a little lower. Nikori huffed but spared the human girl a benign smile. No one else choose to comment on her outburst though Hoist was sending her an understanding nod.

"The occasional loss of a life is common when people are not careful. Usually we have laws that serve well, but there are ones that do not follow the same laws we do, and those are truly dangerous… Although, staying dead can be avoided by numerous ways like reviving spells and itens" Lucia nodded, still peeved but willing to cross that bridge when she came to it herself, for now she was only being introduced to the clan system. "When a Judge is summoned, he brings a special law that we have to follow in exchange for certain rights – like during our fight with Klesta, the law we had to follow prohibited the use of any ranged weapons, thus, Pyrrh stayed out that time, he would have been useless… these laws change with every certified quest we take, and breaking them revokes the bonus our Judge gives us as well as keep us from summoning our deathly wounded back into battle… but that is for another time."

_As well as it should! My head is spinning! Maybe I should note all of this down… _

_So if we follow some laws we receive a bonus from our Judge besides the protection, but if we break the laws the punishment is the loss of this bonus and…_

_Not summoning the deathly wounded? Hehh?!_

"Maybe we should have her learn through experience, it would be more fruitful that way" Joo'k intervened seeing Lucia's vacantly blank face.

Cid nodded, a little more cheerful. "I will see about an easy quest on the board, hopefully one that pays well" And with that, the clan decided to humor Lucia with horrifyingly funny stories that happened to them, half of which went over the poor brunette's head, but half sending her into gails of laugher along the rest of the saloon.

_I hope the rest of my days here are as much fun…_

_Wait…_

_What is the clan's name?_

End of Chapter the fourth


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